


Stones on the Beach

by Pomelofangirl



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M, also very lame, and maybe feels? idk, porbs very ooc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-08
Updated: 2014-07-08
Packaged: 2018-02-08 01:06:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1920852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pomelofangirl/pseuds/Pomelofangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin looked at the sun setting.</p><p>Day ending.</p><p>It reminded him of their time in high school coming to an end soon.</p><p>He hated sunsets so much.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stones on the Beach

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Hinalilly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hinalilly/gifts), [hoshinokonpeito](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hoshinokonpeito/gifts).



> This is probably so much lamer than it sounds.  
> Inspired by the meta of "what if Haru was scouted for the National team instead of Rin" which is an awful meta and makes me cry a week after reading it thus this fic.  
> And I give it to both of you because when you two combine an analysis it's pure evil and feels.  
> The fic sounds better than it is really.  
> I am sorry.

This is stupid.

He searched for Rin everywhere and found him on the beach.

He was throwing stones into the sea. 

Sousuke saw that he was upset and he knew exactly why.

When he neared Rin he heard him muttering „loves me – loves me not” 

„You know that's not how it works. Stones do not swim out on the surface.”

„I run out of flowers.”

„It's not your fault.”

„That Haru doesn't want to be with me? You were right about him. He only upsets my feelings and intervenes with my swimming. I shouldn't even bother.”

„No. I was wrong. He's changed. You changed him.”

„He doesn't want to be with me no matter how you look at it.”

„He doesn't want to hurt you.”

Rin turned around and Sousuke saw tears in his eyes. He supposed he'd also cry if this was the case.  
If he didn't speak to Haru before, he himself wouldn't believe the things he just told Rin.

„How is not going with me not hurting me? He's a good swimmer so why doesn't he make use of that?”

Sousuke recoginzed these words. It was these questions he asked both Rin and Haru for the past year.

„I shouldn't be the one to tell you that and you really ought to talk to him.”

Rin tch'ed and turned to the sea throwing stones again. 

„But Nanase is afraid” Sousuke added after a short time, and his voice and expression was stern.

Rin was about to throw a stone into the sea, but then he froze.

„What?”

„He's afraid of being better than you. That if he is going to go there, he'd be the one they choose. If that was the case... what would you do, Rin?”

Rin let go of the stone which gave a hollow sound of being thrown to a stoney surface, and stared at the sunset.

The sun was also setting when he first asked Haru what he wants to do after graduation.

Haru said then that he didn't know yet.

But if so, why would he train so much? Didn't he hate running?

Rin looked at the sun setting.

Day ending.

It reminded him of their time in high school coming to an end soon.

He hated sunsets so much.

Rin sat at the edge of the beach and begun to throw even more stones. He did that fast, saying nothing.

After a while, Sousuke sat beside him.

„I wouldn't know what to do either. If I were you.”

Rin stopped throwing stones because he run out of them, and just stared in front of him. 

„Being an olympic swimmer is all I have. Besides that time we both dreamed of being policemen. Well, thing is I know that Haru is better than me. He always was. But he also made me realize that going pro is what I really want to do in my life. And as much as I want to swim, I want to be with him. Hell, I think I love him more than swimming to be honest. You are right as you always are, Sousuke. I have no idea what I'd do if he gets scouted instead of me. Talking with him about that requires me having a plan.... And I don't have that. I-if he gets chosen...”

Sousuke looked at him but also heard that by the last sentences Rin was saying, he cried. So he hugged Rin letting him cry on his shoulder. 

He heard Rin saying something into his shirt and almost froze.

„That...”  
„That would be the best for the Japanese team... Right?”  
„We'd still... no we'd surely get gold then.”

He cried so much and Sousuke didn't know what to tell him.

The sun had set and they sat like that in the darkness, Rin crying into Sousuke's torso almost falling asleep.

Rin fell asleep not long after that and Sousuke carried him to his bed and tucked him under the covers. Thankfully Nitori wasn't around there.  
Sousuke stayed there for a while and then left.

Haru's phone buzzed indicating he got a message and he hoped it was from Rin.  
But it wasn't.

You upset Rin again. I thought I told you not to do that. Talk to him, both of you really need that.

Haruka didn't know what to think of it and he really didn't need other people to tell him what to do with his life. But he didn't always understand Rin and he wished he could.

Sousuke told him that he should talk to Rin, but Haru wasn't good at talking with the redhead without misunderstanding him at some point.

He heard footsteps beside his house and thought that it was Rin, but Rin always appeared when Haru least expected him and often when he didn't want him to. There was another guy, very similar to Rin that appeared always when Haru thought it was his boyfriend.

It was Sousuke of course.

Haru stood at the doorway looking apprehensive.

„Weren't we finished? What do you want at this hour?”  
„I told Rin what you told me earlier. You were right.”

„So he cried? Who is upsetting him now huh?” when Haru began answering him, he sounded worried but then his tone of voice changed to as if he'd wanted to scorn Sousuke.

Sousuke ignored that and continued.

“As I told you before, he doesn't know what he'd do. But he'd let you in the end. It would make him sad but he loves you more than swimming and that's saying something. He was always admiring your swimming and when he began to know you it turned into admiring you.” Sousuke souned almost annoyed saying that.  
“So you are telling me that he'd let go of his dream... for me?” Haruka was more than surprised. After all Rin did to become an olympic swimmer... he'd just let Haruka take his place? It wasn't believeable.

“Don't get me wrong, he was and probably still is sad and upset at the sole thought of you qualifying instead of him but before he cried on me, he seriously thought that you don't love him anymore. I think you should talk to him about that but I know a talent when I see one, so don't give up on your dreams either.”

With these words, Sousuke left Haru.

And Haruka wondered what his dream is for the rest of the night.

. . . 

They didn't talk of course, hoping that the issue will dissolve in the air or water that they spend so much time together in. Talking wasn't the way they solved their things, it was trough swimming and that is what they did.

Until the race which decided everything.

. . . 

 

Rin waited for any sign from the National swimming team.

But nothing came.

Instead he went to Haruka's home and found him by the table with a letter on it. Haruka was holding his face in his hands.  
On the letter the first paragraph read “Welcome to the National Swimming Team of Japan”

Haru saw Rin in the door and to the silent question painted on Rin's face in desperation he only said

“It came three days ago.”

“So?” Rin held back tears and Haru knew that.

“I still haven't decided. How about you?” 

“Nothing.” Rin was crying now because he couldn't hold back tears anymore.

“Nothing? Not at all?”

“Not at all. Guess you are better at swimming than me. Can't say I didn't expect that. Your swimming really is amazing...”

“Rin I...”

“You what?” Rin was angry or maybe desperate and thought that Haru could say nothing that would make him stop.

“I'll go whenever you are going.”


End file.
